Okoh Urges Govt To Check Activities Of Herdsmen

The Primate, Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), Most Rev. Nicholas Okoh has decried the incessant killing of farmers and innocent Nigerians by herdsmen, urging the Federal Government to take concrete steps to check their excesses before the situation degenerates into war.

The Primate maintained that a situation where ordinary women in the rural areas run up and down due to incessant attacks of herdsmen is uncalled for, stressing that it must be urgently addressed.

Speaking at the end of The Way of the Cross 2016 programme organised by the Abuja Diocese of the Church, the Primate noted that the incessant clash between farmers and herdsmen portends great danger to the existence of the one Nigeria.

Okoh observed that the primary responsibility of any responsible government is the protection of lives and property and called on the government at all levels to come up with practical strategies for a lasting solution to ensure that the conflict does not degenerate into another insurgency.

He said: “The way the herdsmen are going is another war; it has degenerated to civil war already and the country is not safe. People cannot go to farm, women cannot go to market, men are afraid, women are afraid. It is the duty of government to strategise and find solution to this killing. If they don’t do so, they will kill everybody and there will be no Nigeria tomorrow. We appeal to the authorities to help us save the situation and to save us because if this continues unattended to, then, the country is finished.”

Okok added: “The major responsibility of government is security of the lives and property. As the situation is now, Nigeria is not safe. You cannot go out and they are killing with impunity. Government ought to intervene.

“While government is looking at other areas of need, this is a very urgent area that must be looked into, so that the ordinary man and woman in the village, the travelers can get safety on road; they can get safety on their farm and in their communities. So, Nigerian government must look into this before it is too late,” Okoh said.